Canucks & NHL News, Rumours, and & Fantasy GM | You incurred Vector's wrath and broke the site.

[December5th]

I honestly believe there isn’t a player more valuable to his team than Quinn Hughes. Hell, he might be the best player in this entire league when healthy.

That being said Ehlers if he has a good playoffs will get stupid money. So will Brock, regardless if we make it in or not.

i think quinns value scales exponentially once we get better players on our team. like more so then someone like mcdavid. just because he carries so hard himself, but how much space he creates and how good he is at passing and just the nature of being so good and also a defensemen. he could be the most valuable player in the entire world but we just need 2 more good forwards and he will boost them like crazy

 

[arttk]

Yes yes yes. Exactly this ^^ wake up people.
We are literally like bottom 10 in capspace available next season and thats without Boeser, Suter, Forbort or replacements!

this is such a dumb take, we have like 2 spots to fill..
also other teams having cap as well doesn’t mean all the players will automatically go those teams and those teams will actually use all the cap. Trump is single-handedly pushing America towards a recession, all the markets where hockey is not the number 1 sports team is going to be conservative about their spend. Just look up ticket prices around the league, NJD, Carolina, Florida, lightning and a bunch more can barely sell upper bowl at more than 40 bucks. You think they are just going to push their salary commitments up another 10M while the economy is going down?

we have a former agent as our AGM, it’s going to be on her to figure out a way to sell Van to the free agents we are interested in. Yes tax is higher here but the Canadian dollar being much lower probably helps out a bit. When every team can offer similar money and term, the difference is going to come down to how attractive is the situation and if the environment is nice to be.
Don’t have that loser mentality and automatically assume we’ll just not be able to get anyone because other teams have money too

 

[VanJack]

With each passing game, the hill gets steeper for the Canucks to make the playoffs. They have one of the toughest closing schedules--and aren't the hottest team going down the stretch anyway.

But strangely, I'm actually feeling more positive about this team than I was last year's team, which won the Pacific and went on a mini-run in the playoffs. I mean at the end of last season everybody knew Zadorov and Lindholm were leaving. And Thatcher Demko was a huge question mark, and Kevin Lankinen wasn't even in the picture.

You look at this year's team. Their blueline is solid--maybe one of the best in the Conference. And that's with three young promising d-men who look poised to crack the lineup. In goal, if Demko can stay healthy, along with Lankinen, again it's one of the best tandems in the conference.

The problem as we all know, is up front. But it's a lot easier to find forwards than d-men or goalies. And for the first time in what seems like forever--the Canucks have a pick in every round of the draft.

So it's not a 'rebuild', it's a 're-tool', and there's a lot of pieces on this Canuck team to like.

 

[Diablo2020]

- throwing these out as names moreso than specific targets, but brendan gallagher, josh anderson, timo meier, logan couture, sean courturier, kevin hayes, chris kreider, etc.

as of right now, think i'd rather take kreider for two years over boeser for eight.

Everyone has pipedreams talking Bennett and Ehlers when this is the bin we are obviously going shopping in.

We have zero assets to trade and contrary to popular belief we are not a destination and are in fact a gongshow

Fans are in denial, Linus Karlsson is playing on the 21 man roster, we kinda need to get Josh Anderson's, retained, and for kinda free.

Or be paid to eat the whole contract. Gain some damn currency for once.

No one actually wants Josh Anderson or Sean Couturier, theyre bums. But Anderson for 2 years or Roslovic for some ungoldy 5 or something. Pick your poison.

Someone like Mavrik Bourque from Dallas fits this bill. Not necessarily saying I would target him, but this player archetype: Still getting their feet wet in the NHL, possible breakout coming soon, and the target team has some cap constraints such that they don't want to invest heavily in the player.

I posted previously somewhere asking if there was any sort of Cutter or Rutger type situations playing out leaguewide because of all the teams that should age gap a 2025 1st its us as long as its not 24 yr old Linden Vey and more 2023 drafted Oliver Moore, for example.

Based on nothing but a gut feeling, but Mikael Granlund seems like a guy we’ll go after hard in the offseason. One of the few UFA top-6 forwards we might plausibly have a shot at.

Downside is his next contract could be brutal. Also his name is extremely triggering.

Nooooo there is literally like 10 Granlund's out there on the bad contract he will get, signed for less years, that a team would probably pay us to take.

Sean Couturier and some of the SEVEN top 64 picks the Flyers have, with a lil retained is equally as gross as Mikael Granlund on July 1, but this way we get paid.

 

[Diablo2020]

this is such a dumb take, we have like 2 spots to fill..

So close, almost like a contender

My friend, if you airdropped in Ehlers, Bennett, Horvat and resigned Boeser and Suter, the forwards would be contender worthy.

Ehlers - Petey - Boeser
Debrusk - Horvat - Garland
Joshua - Bennett - Sherwood
Oconnor - Blueger - Suter

Extra - Hoglander, Lekkerimaki
Injured - Chytil

We're 3 HUGE pieces away, after we sign or replace Boeser and Suter.

And we dont have assets to trade for a Horvat.

And those two UFAs probably DO in fact sign elsewhere.

also other teams having cap as well doesn’t mean all the players will automatically go those teams and those teams will actually use all the cap. Trump is single-handedly pushing America towards a recession, all the markets where hockey is not the number 1 sports team is going to be conservative about their spend. Just look up ticket prices around the league, NJD, Carolina, Florida, lightning and a bunch more can barely sell upper bowl at more than 40 bucks. You think they are just going to push their salary commitments up another 10M while the economy is going down?

Just today, they basically announced 34 teams.

I believe the fee was 1.5 billion.

Then not 5 minutes later, Kevin Weekes and others basically announed 36 teams.

Hockey is sooooo far behind other sports my friend its time to eat. If youve never followed another sport and hockey is your only jam then your about to be sickened at what scrubs are about to get paid pal.

we have a former agent as our AGM, it’s going to be on her to figure out a way to sell Van to the free agents we are interested in. Yes tax is higher here but the Canadian dollar being much lower probably helps out a bit. When every team can offer similar money and term, the difference is going to come down to how attractive is the situation and if the environment is nice to be.

Yes someone mentioned two bullet points earlier i'll add to your spiel.

"Opportunity"
"Quinn Hughes"

Not every team has that either eh. Ehhhh.

Thats two of you who mentioned alot and neither one said how gorgeous the city is HAHAHA. Dont look but im a Canucks fan in Calgary for last 8 years so tell me has the city really gone to poop that bad that neither of you are gonna copium "gorgeous"?

Don’t have that loser mentality and automatically assume we’ll just not be able to get anyone because other teams have money too

Its just shock my friend. Shock i keep reading pages after pages of copium thinking we are the destination city that attracts the top 3 FAs while not enough of anyone is creeping the Kreider, Anderson, Meier bargain bin with me.

Montreal constantly swimming in picks got paid to take Patrik Laine. Montreal constsntly swimming in picks got paid to take Sean Monahan.

Now everyone has a tonne of capspace so yet again we're gonna be late to the party and get a 6th, for a %5 retained Josh Anderson but thats still better than Roslovic at 5x5 or whatever he will cost, imo.

 

[credulous]

this is such a dumb take, we have like 2 spots to fill..
also other teams having cap as well doesn’t mean all the players will automatically go those teams and those teams will actually use all the cap. Trump is single-handedly pushing America towards a recession, all the markets where hockey is not the number 1 sports team is going to be conservative about their spend. Just look up ticket prices around the league, NJD, Carolina, Florida, lightning and a bunch more can barely sell upper bowl at more than 40 bucks. You think they are just going to push their salary commitments up another 10M while the economy is going down?

no one is dooming about the canucks chances of signing players (well, one guy is) but people who are talking about the canucks weaponizing their cap space or offer sheeting rfas that other teams won't be able to sign aren't paying attention. that's the last battle. teams are going to be flush with cap space for the next few years and players aren't going to move because of a lack of cap space anymore

 

[arttk]

So close, almost like a contender

My friend, if you airdropped in Ehlers, Bennett, Horvat and resigned Boeser and Suter, the forwards would be contender worthy.

Ehlers - Petey - Boeser
Debrusk - Horvat - Garland
Joshua - Bennett - Sherwood
Oconnor - Blueger - Suter

Extra - Lekkerimaki
Injured - Chytil

We're 3 HUGE pieces away, after we sign or replace Boeser and Suter.

And we dont have assets to trade for a Horvat.

And those two UFAs probably DO in fact sign elsewhere.



Just today, they basically announced 34 teams.

I believe the fee was 1.5 billion.

Then not 5 minutes later, Kevin Weekes and others basically announed 36 teams.

Hockey is sooooo far behind other sports my friend its time to eat. If youve never followed another sport and hockey is your only jam then your about to be sickened at what scrubs are about to get paid pal.



Yes someone mentioned two bullet points earlier i'll add to your spiel.

"Opportunity"
"Quinn Hughes"

Not every team has that either eh. Ehhhh.

Thats two of you who mentioned alot and neither one said how gorgeous the city is HAHAHA. Dont look but im a Canucks fan in Calgary for last 8 years so tell me has the city really gone to poop that bad that neither of you are gonna copium "gorgeous"?



Its just shock my friend. Shock i keep reading pages after pages of copium thinking we are the destination city that attracts the top 3 FAs while not enough of anyone is creeping the Kreider, Anderson, Meier bargain bin with me.

Montreal constantly swimming in picks got paid to take Patrik Laine. Montreal constsntly swimming in picks got paid to take Sean Monahan.

Now everyone has a tonne of capspace so yet again we're gonna be late to the party and get a 6th, for a %5 retained Josh Anderson but thats still better than Roslovic at 5x5 or whatever he will cost, imo.

we are not going to go from where we are to a contender over 1 offseason, why the f*** is that even the bar? That’s 99% not going to happen. The goal is to improve and then continue to improve. We need to get 1 guy that’s good and some support pieces and then we spend our assets at TDL and then retain that guy and then add more against next off season. It’s not that hard of a concept to understand.

Yeah the expansion fee is going to be expensive and that makes sense because there’s confidence that sports team have value, you buy something for 1.5B and then you hold onto it and wait for the value to go up. But getting that team doesnt mean the owner is going to be happy having it lose money year over year. The point is a lot of the owners are f***ing cheap, they are “only” single digit billion rich and they are not going to subsidize losses because that means they need to liquidate their wealth to pay for it and rich people prefer letting their investments get a return vs liquidating it to subsidize losses. Considering this is a gate driven league, owners are not going to be like yeah let’s increase expense by 10M when they can’t increase prices for seats. So yeah teams will spend, but not the point where you think they will.

There are so many dimensions that makes a team attractive and when you consider that we are somewhat competitive and the fact the city is actually nice to live in and the Canadian dollar is cheap as f*** compared to USD, yeah it makes it an attractive destination relatively.

The rest of your post makes no f***ing sense.

 

[arttk]

no one is dooming about the canucks chances of signing players (well, one guy is) but people who are talking about the canucks weaponizing their cap space or offer sheeting rfas that other teams won't be able to sign aren't paying attention. that's the last battle. teams are going to be flush with cap space for the next few years and players aren't going to move because of a lack of cap space anymore

I mean you only really throw offer sheets to teams that are really close to the cap and there are still teams close to the cap with rfas to sign. That problem still exists next year, the year after maybe not but we are talking about this coming season.

 

[David71]

wonder what it would take to pry cole sillinger from columbus? target ehlers.

 

[Delocatedfan]

What about college ufas any really solid players that the Vancouver Canucks could sign that could contribute next year as a cheap contract?

I dont think the retool is complete doom & gloom as the defense looks pretty solid + goaltending is looking ok (maybe need a cheap backup).

As much as I like Demko maybe in the off season there would be some suitors that might be willing to trade for him & that can be where they get a 2C. If Columbus misses maybe a trade is revisited with Sillinger coming back as an example.

Ehlers or Marner would be huge additions but realistically probably not happening. Id be pleasantly surprised if they did just not getting my hopes up

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Yes someone mentioned two bullet points earlier i'll add to your spiel.

"Opportunity"
"Quinn Hughes"

Not every team has that either eh. Ehhhh.

Thats two of you who mentioned alot and neither one said how gorgeous the city is HAHAHA. Dont look but im a Canucks fan in Calgary for last 8 years so tell me has the city really gone to poop that bad that neither of you are gonna copium "gorgeous"?

I don't think players really give a shit. It's a great city when we are winning, and a miserable city when we are losing. There's like 15-20 other cities like that in this league. Players care more about winning than the city, and when we were winning we didn't really have trouble signing Samuelsson under value, Burrows massively under value (to this day I want to see the PA's reaction to that deal), Edler under value, even Malhotra under value, etc. We actually landed Sundin who guys like even the Sedins and Kesler looked up to, it was a reverse Messier gambit that despite all conventional wisdom paid off.

Honestly that entire 2010-11 team save for Ballard, came under value for what they offered that season. Wealth begets wealth. That's the way of the world. That's why the first million is the hardest to make. I'm not really sure what you're driving at with your wall of text is all. We just simply disagree on direction, but you clearly are able to grasp the understanding of the sport well.

It's a shame most of the national media gets most of their info from local media who have a very...bipolar way of looking at things. I wonder if Gord Miller still thinks Benning is owed an apology. Stick to calling the games, Gord. You're great at that.

 

[VanJack]

Canucks have opened up a ton of cap-space this off-season. So they could certainly push all their chips into the middle of the table and go after someone like Marner. But not sure that's the best use of all that cash.

I see Canucks Army is linking the Canucks to Jack Roslovic, an impending UFA in Carolina. He's been linked to the Canucks in the past, and he is listed as a center. And although he's being used on the wing by the Canes, he did play some center in Winnipeg and even more in Columbus.

The other guy I'd like to see the Canucks consider bringing in is Cody Glass. He's bounced around the league, but he's an RFA heading into the off-season. And although he's an RFA, I don't think the Devils will move and heaven and earth to re-sign him.

 

[Diablo2020]

no one is dooming about the canucks chances of signing players (well, one guy is)

For lack of better words its just the genuine shock I have at the general audacity of Canuck fans.

We spent a year going MINE MINE MINE for Jake Guentzel, were fortunate to get Lindholm as "everything needs to go right" actually somehow did for a span, then blatantly lost Lindholm back to the ether.

But no one seemed to care because we did land Jake.

Debrusk was spun as either A. that was the plan the whole time, or B. that was a smart team pivoting to a plan B, then like 5 other spinoffs over the year.

But Jake Debrusk was a gift. He really kind of wanted to be here for reasons we can actually point at.

Not some fugazi like "top 6 opportunity for ehlers". Hell Utah has icetime too ya know. Seattle has icetime. Philly, loads of icetime.

But Now here we are. Held a playoff spot for a whopping like 10 calendar days since deadline and our own rental Brock will join Lindy in the ether.

But no one seems to care because Ehlers MINE MINE MINE.

And I just cant believe it. We're doing it again.

If we're lucky we'll pivot to Jack Roslovic, maybe he has all his family on the westcoast of Canada too like Debrusk did. (Narrarator voice: there is no Jake or Hamhuis in this UFA class)

we are not going to go from where we are to a contender over 1 offseason, why the f*** is that even the bar? That’s 99% not going to happen. The goal is to improve and then continue to improve. We need to get 1 guy that’s good and some support pieces and then we spend our assets at TDL and then retain that guy and then add more against next off season. It’s not that hard of a concept to understand.

I apoligize, you said we needed two (2) pieces.

Obviously I was confused thinking contender was the goal.

Two pieces, to be what exactly then?

Formidable? A worthy opponent?

Yeah the expansion fee is going to be expensive and that makes sense because there’s confidence that sports team have value, you buy something for 1.5B and then you hold onto it and wait for the value to go up. But getting that team doesnt mean the owner is going to be happy having it lose money year over year. The point is a lot of the owners are f***ing cheap, they are “only” single digit billion rich and they are not going to subsidize losses because that means they need to liquidate their wealth to pay for it and rich people prefer letting their investments get a return vs liquidating it to subsidize losses. Considering this is a gate driven league, owners are not going to be like yeah let’s increase expense by 10M when they can’t increase prices for seats. So yeah teams will spend, but not the point where you think they will.

Starting at A for Anaheim, they need to spend 15m to hit the cap FLOOR next year.

Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal are key RFA.

The Ducks still have to add 5 mill to hit the floor.

Quit plugging for the billionaires trust me theyre doing just fine. Theyre all in a Jeremy Jacobs groupchat laughing their arse off whenever a baseball player or NBA player or Soccer star signs a deal all asking each other how Gary ****** hockey players so badly while I sip my $17 foam beer and eat my $33 nachos.

Right now theyre popping champagne bottles planning boat parties on how to spend 1.5 billion dollars to put a team BACK in Atlanta for the upteenth time.

Gary strikes again. Dont worry about the German guy who owns the Ducks because he sells his tickets for $15. He's fine.

There are so many dimensions that makes a team attractive and when you consider that we are somewhat competitive and the fact the city is actually nice to live in and the Canadian dollar is cheap as f*** compared to USD, yeah it makes it an attractive destination relatively.

The rest of your post makes no f***ing sense.

Man im not pooping on Vancouver, the city, the team, the logo, anything. Im die hard and its a curse like the rest of ya'll.

Im just begging ya'll to be realistic.

Those seagulls from that kids show all going EHLERS EHLERS EHLERS is all I picture reading these boards when we SHOULD be finding a way for NYR to PAY us to take Kreider and Zibanejad.

People wanna sign Mikael Granlund when he can probably pick 25 teams this offseason, when Zibby is right there, with assets coming back probably!

Its lunacy to me.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Those seagulls from that kids show all going EHLERS EHLERS EHLERS is all I picture reading these boards when we SHOULD be finding a way for NYR to PAY us to take Kreider and Zibanejad.

Both those guys are about to fall off a f***ing cliff. Their best hockey is behind them. I'm just not sure compliance buyouts are a thing anymore, but let me consult the CBA.

Rangers look pretty f***ing cooked this season, CBJ, NYI, OTT, MTL, all behind the NYR in terms of actual talent are ahead of them in the standings.

But hey, JT got his wish...finally. How's that working out for him?

Can you hear that? It's the sound of a cricket riding a tumbleweed playing the world's smallest violin, just for JT to the tune of whatever they were playing when the f***ing Titanic sunk.

 

[Diablo2020]

Thie management has already shown to sometimes get tunnel vision on their sights.

I just reallllly want to make sure we dont miss the next darn Dubois type trade while management puts all their eggs in the Ehlers basket like it seems half the fans have.

The Dubois trade, actually like 3 of them, is our only legit path forward with the assets and capspace we have compared to everyone else.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Thie management has already shown to sometimes get tunnel vision on their sights.

I just reallllly want to make sure we dont miss the next darn Dubois type trade while management puts all their eggs in the Ehlers basket like it seems half the fans have.

The Dubois trade, actually like 3 of them, is our only legit path forward with the assets and capspace we have compared to everyone else.

Dubois is a loser. Washington's going exactly nowhere this postseason. Maybe round 3. Good for them. I'll fax them their participation ribbon.

 

[Diablo2020]

Both those guys are about to fall off a f***ing cliff. Their best hockey is behind them. I'm just not sure compliance buyouts are a thing anymore, but let me consult the CBA.

People have floated Matt Duchene as an option
People have floated John Tavares as an option
People have floated Mikael Granlund as an option
People have floated Brock Nelson as an option

Oh but its crazy to get paid to take Kreider for 2 yrs.

Cause we're swimming in assets and guaranteed to just sign one of the UFAs that are so obviously better than Kreider and Mika.

This is a world where Steven Stamkos on one leg gets a 3 year deal man what do you think those greybeards above are getting.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

People have floated Matt Duchene as an option
People have floated John Tavares as an option
People have floated Mikael Granlund as an option
People have floated Brock Nelson as an option

Oh but its crazy to get paid to take Kreider for 2 yrs.

Cause we're swimming in assets and guaranteed to just sign one of the UFAs that are so obviously better than Kreider and Mika.

This is a world where Steven Stamkos on one leg gets a 3 year deal man what do you think those greybeards above are getting.

Duchene is...alright. I don't love it.
Tavares is horrible.
Granlund is horrible.
Nelson ain't it.

I'm not people, man. I'm just a person. I have differing opinions with many posters here, even if we agree on most other stuff.

A simple cursory check of their contracts show that Kreider's contract isn't up until 2027 and Mika's aint up til 2030. And Mika at the 4 Nations looked like shit. Not only in his play, but also in his conditioning. He looked fat as f*** and is clearly disinterested easily.

Yeah dude, it's straight up crazy. I don't what to tell you if you don't want to hear it. And I already told you the Stamkos contract was f***ing nuts because nearly everything Nashville did last offseason clearly DID NOT WORK.

 

[Diablo2020]

Dubois is a loser. Washington's going exactly nowhere this postseason. Maybe round 3. Good for them. I'll fax them their participation ribbon.

Just using PLD as an example of how one team traded a broken goalie for a 60 point RHC.

Duchene is...alright. I don't love it.
Tavares is horrible.
Granlund is horrible.
Nelson ain't it.

I'm not people, man. I'm just a person. I have differing opinions with many posters here, even if we agree on most other stuff.

I think you deeply understand everyone of my posts yet you continue to miss the point of each one every single time.

Those 4 are BRUTAL. We'd be Nashville'esque if we went stupid on July 1 with any of those 4 greybeards.

See you think im advocating for them, when truly im mocking any and everyone who has mentioned or even thought to themselves they would A. Come to VAN and B. Wont get some stupid Stammer type deal themselves.

Again you entirely miss my point but its ok.

A simple cursory check of their contracts show that Kreider's contract isn't up until 2027 and Mika's aint up til 2030. And Mika at the 4 Nations looked like shit. Not only in his play, but also in his conditioning. He looked fat as f*** and is clearly disinterested easily.

Yes exactly.

33 year old Chris Kreider is only signed for 2 years when we get paid to trade for him as a cap dump on July 1st.

Meanwhile 33 yr old Mikael Granlund will get more than a 2 year deal this UFA. I pretty much guarantee it, using your Nashville example as the idiocy of some of these GMs.

Now yeah you can also say Kreider sucks. Granny sucks. They all suck. Losers. And want something better thats fine.

But THIS is a path I think we should pursue to mine some assets, while getting a washed up Kreider who has 19 goals yeah.

Mika, will take gross sweetners because he's gross.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

It's a path to a one-way ticket out of Vancouver for Quinn Hughes, and a coward's way out. It's fun to rebuild, I agree. Now is not the time. The time was 11 years ago and we missed the boat. Can't change history, as much as we'd like to.

What is your point, if you don't mind me asking? Is it that we need a rebuild because I'm not missing that, I just flat out disagree. Big difference between those two.

 

[F A N]

Duchene is...alright. I don't love it.
Tavares is horrible.
Granlund is horrible.
Nelson ain't it.

There aren't a lot of 2C options that we possibly can get on a 2-3 year deal without trading an asset. I won't target Granlund but the other guys have remained productive despite their advancing age.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

There aren't a lot of 2C options that we possibly can get on a 2-3 year deal without trading an asset. I won't target Granlund but the other guys have remained productive despite their advancing age.

I generally agree, it's just said poster I FEEL is bringing those options up as potential EP40 replacements and has made no attenuation to that notion that I can possibly read off him...without him outright saying so.

Like those are all shit 1C options. And he deliberately brought those names out of the woodwork for a reason. To show how f***ed we are if we move off Pettersson. And I actually agree. Moving off of a EP40 is the coward's way out, like I said before. You either believe EP40 is an imperfect, flawed 1C and you work with him, or you shut the doors on this group and kiss Quinn Hughes, the best defenseman this franchise has seen by a country mile, by the way, goodbye in a rebuild. Or you push on.

That's my view. I could be wrong on that plan, maybe he actually stays for a rebuild. But I really don't think so. He knows his window is going to slam shut at some point, and if you don't give him a carrot, he'll give us the stick.

But that poster hasn't been able to articulate his thoughts well enough to explain that. For whatever reason. It's a losing strategy, I believe. He just hasn't learnt that lesson yet.

I've dragged Duchene for years and I think he's actually the best option of the 4 for this team. Why did I drag him? Same reason Patty Roy did. He just plays the game above the team he's on. Maybe he's figured that out, maybe he hasn't. I think Dallas has built something special, and if they don't at least go the distance, it'll be because once again, Matty there hasn't learnt how to play playoff hockey. And he'll drag them down again.

The funny thing? As a personality, I actually really like Matt Duchene. But he's played his career like a man without purpose outside of scoring goals and having a good time.

As for moulding EP40 to the perfect C, that simply doesn't exist. Hockey is an imperfect sport with several of it's own advantages and misadvantages. It's why I'll never bet on it as long as I live again. It's a losing strategy. And I hate losing more than I like breathing. But that's just me.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

You still up, @Diablo2020 ?

................................................................................................don't tell me I tapped out you out that easy.

 

[F A N]

I generally agree, it's just said poster I FEEL is bringing those options up as potential EP40 replacements and has made no attenuation to that notion that I can possibly read off him...without him outright saying so.

Like those are all shit 1C options. And he deliberately brought those names out of the woodwork for a reason. To show how f***ed we are if we move off Pettersson. And I actually agree. Moving off of a EP40 is the coward's way out, like I said before. You either believe EP40 is an imperfect, flawed 1C and you work with him, or you shut the doors on this group and kiss Quinn Hughes, the best defenseman this franchise has seen by a country mile, by the way, goodbye in a rebuild. Or you push on.

That's my view. I could be wrong on that plan, maybe he actually stays for a rebuild. But I really don't think so. He knows his window is going to slam shut at some point, and if you don't give him a carrot, he'll give us the stick.

But that poster hasn't been able to articulate his thoughts well enough to explain that. For whatever reason. It's a losing strategy, I believe. He just hasn't learnt that lesson yet.

I've dragged Duchene for years and I think he's actually the best option of the 4 for this team. Why did I drag him? Same reason Patty Roy did. He just plays the game above the team he's on. Maybe he's figured that out, maybe he hasn't. I think Dallas has built something special, and if they don't at least go the distance, it'll be because once again, Matty there hasn't learnt how to play playoff hockey. And he'll drag them down again.

The funny thing? As a personality, I actually really like Matt Duchene. But he's played his career like a man without purpose outside of scoring goals and having a good time.

As for moulding EP40 to the perfect C, that simply doesn't exist. Hockey is an imperfect sport with several of it's own advantages and misadvantages. It's why I'll never bet on it as long as I live again. It's a losing strategy. And I hate losing more than I like breathing. But that's just me.

I agree. I mentioned Duchene because he's been willing to sign 1 year contracts so conceivably if he wants to play here he would be willing to sign for say 2 years. The others are actually older and I think would want more term.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

I think Jamie Benn is a realistic target this offseason. The Stars probably don’t have the money to resign and I would not be surprised if at the end of his career he wants to come home. At around 2-3 years @ $5-6 million I would do it. Great even strength production actually one of the leaders in 5 on 5 Pts/60. Would add some physicality to the top six, can step in take a face-off, and can still skate fairly well. I think Johnston and Stankoven development really benefited from playing with Benn last year.

Sure.

Let’s bring in Marchand and Kane while we are at it.

JFC.